The Departments of Homeland Security and Education are
reaching out to millions of people in central U.S. states to get them to
participate in an earthquake preparedness drill.

In an event called the “Great Central U.S. Shake Out,” Homeland
Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Education Secretary Arne Duncan are
reaching out to areas in the Midwest that could be impacted by an earthquake
along the New Madrid fault line.

According to the event’s website, more than 2.5 million
people have committed to taking part in Thursday’s drill in which participants
will be told how to react in the event of an earthquake.

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Participants are told to drop to the ground, take cover
under something sturdy, such as a desk or a table, and hold on to it until the
shaking stops.

“It's critical that all members of the nation's emergency
management team — including the federal government, state, local and tribal
officials, the private sector and the public — are prepared,” said Napolitano.

“Learning how to protect yourself and your loved ones in the
event of an earthquake or other disaster is a vital life skill — and we look
forward to working with schools, colleges and our other partners to strengthen
the resiliency of communities across the central United States,” she said.

The White House is reaching out to schools in Alabama,
Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri,
Oklahoma, South Carolina and Tennessee.

“The ShakeOut drill is an important exercise for parents,
students, teachers and schools leaders across the country, and I hope it
encourages more schools to develop, implement and evaluate emergency plans,” said
Duncan.

Nearly 200 years ago, a series of earthquakes along the New
Madrid fault line rippled throughout the United States, causing a vast shadow of
destruction and disrepair.

“As adults, it's our responsibility to make sure students
are prepared, both at home and in school, for a possible emergency,” said
Duncan.